Susan Barbash prepared a report on how the last 40 years have treated the Bay Shore School System, and she asked to have it included here:
REUNION REPORT FOR THE CLASS OF 1972
What has changed …What is the same.
Forty years
is a long time.
It is not
surprising that our alma mater has changed quite a bit since 1972. In many
respects, Bay Shore is much like it always was….only more so. Ours is still one of the most economically
and racially diverse districts on Long Island….
You may be shocked to learn just how diverse Bay Shore is today: the student population is 37% white, 36% Latino, 22%
African American, 4% Asian, and 1% Multi-Cultural.
Because of
this diversity, there are still a lot of people outside Bay Shore who assume
that the district is troubled or struggling.
It is, in fact, thriving.
Bricks and Mortar….Facilities rivaling a
private college:
Every school
has been renovated and expanded…the high school most dramatically.
Highlights:
Field House, new rehearsal rooms, multi media lab, recording studio, renovated
libraries for the 21st century in every building
Academics
Dual
Language Class offered in elementary school
18 AP courses offered in high school
17
International Baccalaureate (IB) courses offered in high school (this program
is new)
Mandarin Chinese
added to foreign language options this year!
Commitment to Cultural Arts:
District
named “Grammy Signature School”
A great extracurricular
theater program in both Middle School and High School
5 bands, 3
orchestras and 4 choirs in the Middle School
5 bands, 3
orchestras and 3 choirs in the High School
Voice
lessons for choir members
Dance offered
as a Phys. Ed. and Performing Arts elective
The Bay Shore Schools Arts Education
(BSSAEF) –not for profit founded in 1997 by community members, dedicated to
the belief that in Bay Shore the arts should be for everyone. The BSSAEF funds a variety of cultural
programs for grades k-12 including music, theater and dance residencies, and writing
workshops.
Excellence in Athletics and Physical Education:
Wellness
Center opens in Middle School - 1998, in High School - 2006
Girls’ Track
Team ranked in top 5 on Long Island
Girls’ Soft
Ball, NYS Record holder with over 600 wins and 7 NY State championship teams
Crew
introduced as a Varsity sport in 1998, NYS Champs in 2012
Bay Shore
pioneers “Farm to School” Program in 2012
Awards: Just some of many
Bay Shore
high school students Sodasia Thompson and Joe Pastore named Grand Prize Winner of
VH1’s Battle of the Band Competition ($5000 cash prize goes to district)
Maroon Echo
is named top paper by Long Island Press in 2012 (You have to be in journalism class to
have a leadership role on the Maroon Echo)
Writers
Block Literary Magazine wins “Most Outstanding High School Literary-Art
Magazine” by the American Scholastic Press Association
Distinguished Guests:
First Lady,
Hillary Clinton
Author,
Frank McCourt
Dancer,
Savion Glover
Singers, John
Legend and Roberta Flack
Actor, Mos
Def
Bay Shore is
a public school that works. It is not a
super-rich school district. It serves a very economically diverse community
that has never failed to pass a school budget.
Won’t you consider giving to
your alma mater?
Pick your priority
___student scholarship fund ___cultural
arts ___athletics/wellness
Circle an amount: $10 $25 $50 $100 $250 $500
Make your check payable to the Bay Shore School District and mail to
S. Barbash/Reunion Gift
52 Lawrence Lane Bay Shore NY
11706